Looking through magazines and books for inspiration, we can sometimes get discouraged. Our house isn’t perfect. We have so much to do. We hate that couch. That closet is a mess. We’ll never be able to afford that. It’s at times like that these that we most have to remember that the difference is, we actually live in our house.
We do laundry and are too tired to put it away, we have parties and leave the dishes for the next day, the dining table is temporarily tax central. And, like our lives, our houses are a work-in-progress...
Hopefully, especially if you’re doing the Cure, your house, with our help, will become not just a waystation but a haven from the outside world. A place that’s cozy and comfortable, that supports your dreams, and your life, and recharges your batteries for the next day. And that seems pretty perfect to us.
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Comments (9)
Nice post.
Thanks for the reminder--sometimes, even when I create a perfect corner, it feels like something I saw in a magazine or a blog--creating a real, functional, beautiful space is a continuing process of exploration!
Whew. I needed this today. The Cure, as motivational as it is, has been the cause of my being a little hard on myself/my home this week. Thanks for the post.
Wow. That describes our apartment exactly right now! :D
totally. I have to keep reminding myself that I can live with the lamp I have until I save up for one I like better. I don't have to replace everything right this second. And the truth is, the existing lamp looks pretty good. So what it's not completely ideal. Yet!
The concept of wabi sabi represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience. Wabi sabi is sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete." (All borrowed from wikipedia.)
Sometimes the best way to live with what you have is to embrace the imperfect. Perfection is way overrated!
It took a day like today, where we were able to open the screen door to the deck, cook dinner while it was still light out, and feed happy kids dirty from being outside all day to realize that it's really the energy of your family that makes it a home.
So many of us try to achieve perfection in ourselves and the projects we undertake. The fact of the matter is perfection is boring. It's the flaws that add character.
I've always wondered about those "magazine photos" - you know - the ones with a bowl of apples or peaches that perfectly match the decor. I thought to myself -at what point is the "symetry" of the fruit destroyed because someone actually began eating the fruit - or does it sit there looking pretty until it spoils - or do they throw out fruit and buy a new bunch for decoration's sake? Of course, this is impractical, so l try to remember that when I'm living in my own space. Thank you for reaffirming my thoughts.